Not normal
by NoahsAnarchy
Summary: When Rose discovers this very strange girl in the art room after school, she learns that this girl, named Kanaya Maryam, has Autism. But despite how different Kanaya acts, she still manages to see her for who she really is. And she's in love with it.


Rose wasn't sure what was wrong with this girl, but she would be lying if she said she didn't find this woman as unique as she is strange.

Rose always stayed after school to use the computer lab for reading her favorite wizard fanfics. Her mother had grounded her from the internet for talking back to her. Rose huffed in resentment at her mother, thinking that "the drunk old woman deserved it". Rose still thought that, but it didn't do any good to bitch about it. So instead she had lied to her mother that she was going to stay after school to finish homework, but of course she had only wanted to stay after for the access to the computer lab so she could continue her reading.

But today, she had finished a story quite early, but didn't feel like going home just yet. She figured she could just walk the halls until a teacher kicked her out of the school. She turned off the computer she was using, swung her backpack over her shoulder, and exited the computer lab. She strolled down the hallways, thinking about the wizard story she just finished. She agreed with herself that that was a very nice story. She continued to idly make her way through the many hallways. But she stopped in front of the stairs that lead downstairs to the art room.

She never took art. She felt that the teacher taught it all wrong. To Rose, art was something that was created for a purpose. Like a tool or a motivation. Not something that spontaneously happened from someone's emotions or feelings. So she never took an art class down there. Come to think of it, Rose does not recall ever going down there. She's only heard of the teacher's methods through the grapevine. She decided to give a look. Besides, it would at least kill time. She made her way down the stairs and through the dimly lit hallway. The door at the end was labeled, "Art Room- 205" on it. She slowly creaked open the door. She slid herself past, and shut the door behind her. She looked around. For the most part, it wasn't as messy as Rose expected. The chairs where put up on the table, most likely so the janitors can easily clean the floor, the tables where scrubbed off, and all of the artsy equipment was either stored on shelves or in containers.

The room had a musty clay smell to it, and the walls where painted blue and orange. Rose nodded in approval. If it weren't for the teacher, Rose was almost positive that she would want to join art next year.

The crafts weren't the only thing in the room. There was a steady vibrating noise coming from one of the tables. Rose walked over to it. She noticed a very tall, slim person sitting in front of a sewing machine, slowly pulling the fabric through as the needle sewed it up. She was rocking back and forth and her foot was vigorously tapping the tile floor. Rose raised an eyebrow. From what rose could see, she had very short black hair that stuck out messily at all angles, her skin was very pale, and she wore a baggy black sweater. Rose took a step closer. She noticed something that was covering her legs. Was it a skirt? No, it was too wrinkled and the fabric was too thick. She noticed that it was tied in a knot on top of the girl's jutting hips. What the hell was it?

And then she figured it out. It was a red blanket. The girl had a red blanket tied around her hips that covered the rest of her legs, including her feet. Rose could tell that that was all she had on. She couldn't see any underwear sticking out from edges of the blanket, or any sign of shorts or pants. This girl had nothing on but a black sweater and a red blanket tied around her waist. Now Rose was very curious about the odd woman. Who the hell dresses like that? And why hasn't she seen her around? Rose decided to talk to her.

She slowly walked up to the girl from behind, and gave her a light tap on the shoulder. The girl damn near fell out of her seat. She shot up from her seat, and backed up from Rose, the edge of the table digging into the backs of her thighs. She violently shook, and she looked at Rose with wide, frightened eyes. Rose had never seen someone react that way just with a simply touch on the shoulder.

"Woah, hey, easy. I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to say hi." Rose told her. The girl breathed out slowly, and slid back into her seat. She was still shaking, but her face showed relief. Rose calmly grabbed a chair that was on top of the table and gently placed it down on the ground. She was careful not to startle the girl again. She slipped herself in the chair next to the skinny female.

Without uttering a word, the black haired girl continued her sewing. Rose raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, I don't think I've seen you around school. May I ask who you are?" Rose asked while trying to talk over the noisy sewing machine. The girls stopped sewing.

"Yes." She said without looking at Rose. Rose waited a few seconds for the girl to answer her, but nothing came. She just sat quietly and stared at the green fabric bunched up in the sewing machine. Rose, unsure of what her deal was, decided to ask her straight up.

"Who are you?" Rose asked.

"I am Kanaya Maryam." She said. Rose raised her eyebrow yet again. She knew that if that kept up that Dave would surely say something snarky, like she should enter in an eyebrow raising contest.

"Well, Kanaya, I haven't seen you around the hallways or in any of my classes at all, so I was wondering what exactly your place was in the school." She states.

"Okay." Kanaya said. She was still staring down at the fabric, vigorously rubbing her hands as if she where washing them. Rose squinted at her. What the hell was up with this girl?

"Uhh, so… what is your place in the school?" she asked awkwardly. She wasn't sure why Kanaya wasn't getting that when she used question indirectly she wanted her to answer them. For some odd reason, Kanaya needed direct questions in order to answer them.

"I am a student here, just like you." She says. Rose smirked.

"What grade are you in?" Rose asked her.

"I am in 9th grade." She answered. Rose frowned.

"That can't be right. I'm in 9th grade and I haven't seen you in any of my classes, or in the hallways for that matter."

Kanaya said nothing. Rose noticed that since the conversation started, Kanaya never once looked at her. She was a bit confused at this. Did Rose frighten her for some reason?

"Where do you go for classes?" Rose asked her.

"I stay in Miss. Mothergrub's room and do my work there." She says.

"Miss. Mothergrub? But isn't that…"

And then it hit her. Kanaya had some sort of mental disability.

Rose had been in Miss. Mothergrub's classroom only once to deliver some papers to her from another teacher. She remembered the large sturdy exercise balls lying around the room, and there was a space in the corner with blankets and pillows. There was a sign above the space that said, "Cool-down Corner", and she had also noticed the white board had lots of little drawings on it.

She knew that that's where the kids that had learning disabilities stayed. But of course she wasn't going to jump right to that when she saw Kanaya. Rose decided to drop that whole scenario all together and jump to a new topic.

"What are you making?" she asked Kanaya. Kanaya seemed to become more energetic at hearing this.

"It is a dress that I am making. It is going to have a long elegant look to it and I plan on sewing on the straps that will be thicker then spaghetti straps and it will have a white flowing scarf to go with it and it will be completed with a sash around the torso because it just looks so beautiful." She spat out all in one breath. Rose was surprised at how excited Kanaya seemed to get at the mention of her project. But she, for some reason that she couldn't understand, thought it was kind of cute.

"Do you make lots of dresses?" Rose asked her. She half asked her out of curiousness and half wanted to see Kanaya so happy to talk about it again. Kanaya's eyebrows raised high on her forehead, and her mouth curled into a strange grin. She still wasn't looking at Rose.

"Oh yes. I have made countless dresses over the years because they are just so amazing but I have actually made other forms of clothing as well because there are incredible looking outfits of all kinds in the world and I feel good to be apart of that." She breathily stated. Rose smiled lightly at her. She then noticed the blanket wrapped around her again.

"Why are you wearing a blanket instead of actual pants?" Rose asked.

Kanaya's excited expression dropped incredibly fast.

"Because actual pants are uncomfortable." She answers. Rose realized that she was back to saying just a few words to answer. She kind of missed her upbeat rambling. Rose then suddenly realized that she was sitting there for a long time. She took out her phone to look at the time. Shit. She was going to be late coming home. Her mom was going to kill her. But she glanced at Kanaya from passed her phone, and decided that it was worth it. This girl was weird. Very weird. But Rose couldn't help but warm up to her a bit. She didn't know why, and, to some extent, it frightened her a bit.

But she decided to say her goodbyes to Kanaya, and be on her way.

"Will you be down here tomorrow?" Rose questioned as she was walking towards the door.

"Yes." Kanaya answered, without looking at Rose. Rose frowned at this.

"Kanaya, look at me."

Kanaya tore her gaze from the fabric to Rose. Rose noticed that Kanaya had large beautiful green eyes. But there where also large bags under them. Rose gave her a half hearted smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow down here again, okay?" she told her.

"Okay." Kanaya agreed.

* * *

Tomorrow came, and, as usual, the day drove on as if it was being dragged through quick sand. Rose didn't really try to pay much attention to it, but she was actually a little eager to meet that girl-Kanaya again. She still wondered why she was drawn to Kanaya the way she was. People with learning disabilities are awkward and therefore awkward to be around, right?

She shook her head in attempt to clear her thoughts and begrudgingly tried to pay attention to her biology teacher's boring lectures.

But eventually the school day came to an end, and, much to Rose's inner surprise at herself, she decided to skip reading her fanfiction all together today and headed down to the art room. She opened the door and smiled when she saw Kanaya sitting in front of her sewing machine again. She was wearing the same exact outfit from yesterday. Instead of tapping her shoulder again, Rose calmly set the chair down beside her again, and eased her way into Kanaya's field of vision. She could see Kanaya shake a little again, but it wasn't as bad as yesterday.

"Hello, Kanaya. How are you?" Rose asked.

"Good." Kanaya simply stated. Rose raised her eyebrow again. Normally people would ask her how she was right back. _She isn't like the others_. Rose thought to herself. Some more time passed, and days went by. And at the end of everyday, Rose went down to the art room to chat (albeit a bit awkwardly) with Kanaya. Today, she decided to ask Kanaya something that has been on her mind since she met her.

"Say Kanaya, May I ask you something? And can you promise not to be offended when I do ask?"

Kanaya didn't say anything.

Rose decided that was a green light for her to continue. "Are you in Miss. Mothergrub's classroom because you are mentally retarded?"

Kanaya's eyes widened and her breathing became rapid. She rocked violently in her seat.

Rose bit her lip, feeling guilty about what she had done to her new friend. She placed her hand on the hysterical girl's back and rubbed circles in it.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry I said that. It was rude of me. Please calm down." She begged.

"I am not retarded, I am not retarded, I am just like you I am not retarded, I do not want people calling me that I am just like them but they keep calling me it." she went on and on. Rose wasn't sure how to make her stop. In a quick effort to help her, she quickly pulled Kanaya into a hug.

She could feel Kanaya shaking against her. She held her closer.

"Please calm down. I'm so sorry I offended you in such a way. I promise I will never call you that again." Rose told her. Kanaya shifted her body until her head was placed against Rose's chest. Rose felt a bit awkward in the new postion, but she noticed that it helped Kanaya calm down. She carefully wrapped her arms around Kanaya's head and lightly massaged her scalp. "I'm sorry." Rose softly muttered.

"It's okay. I am Autistic. Not retarded." Kanaya mumbled in Rose's bosom. Rose raised her eyebrows. She had heard of Autism before. She remembered her health teacher talking about it when her class was in the mental disorder unit. If she remembered correctly, it was a mental disorder that caused people to think and socialize differently then "normal" people. It often made people seem very awkward to have conversations with, and they had trouble getting used to the same set of social rules that the community deemed appropriate. Rose understood her now.

"Do you have completed outfits you made at your house?" Rose asked her. Kanaya quickly raised her head in excitement. "Yes I do. I am very proud of them." She states.

Rose smiles at her. "May I come over to see them?"

Kanaya tapped her foot vigorously against the floor. "Yes you can."

Rose flashed her a smile that was a teeth, and quickly got out her phone. She texted her mother.

_Dearest mother. I have decided to engage myself with a friend at her house for the rest of the afternoon. I shall be back around 7:00._

She then put her phone away and looked back up at Kanaya. She was staring at the ground. Her leg still bouncing up and down a little.

"Well alright then. Shall we head to your place then?" Rose gleefully asked.

"Yes." Kanaya stated. Rose got up from her seat, and walked to the door. She turned around, and noticed that Kanaya hasn't moved from her spot. She then remembered that Kanaya only responds with direct statements and questions.

"Let's go to your house." Rose stated.

"Okay." Kanaya said, and got up from her chair. Rose noticed that she had terrible posture. Her back was slouched, and her hips where pushed forward. She walked to Rose, and then the two of them walked out of the school together.

They walked for about twenty minutes, and within that time, Rose had talked about herself. Kanaya never asked about her life, but Rose figured it was a good way to help with the awkward silence. Well, awkward for her anyway. She wasn't sure if Kanaya felt the same. She told her that her mother was a drunk, and that she took a liking to wizards. She told her about how her father died from a hunting accident and that she vowed to never allow guns in the house. Kanaya stayed completely silent. She didn't pursue eye contact unless Rose asked her to, and she didn't speak unless Rose directly asked her something.

Rose liked it. For once, somebody actually _listened_, and didn't voice their own stupid opinion without listening or caring about a single word Rose said. It was a nice change. A very nice change. Rose thinks that she is starting to understand why she is so interested with this Autistic girl.

But before Rose's thoughts could go any further, Kanaya stops abruptly in front of a medium sized green house. This must be her home. Kanaya walks to the door, turns the handle only using her thumb and pointer finger, and opens the door. Once she steps inside, Rose does as well.

It was a very decent place. No messes, it smelled of pinewood, and everything was neatly placed inside. Kanaya walked through the room that Rose figured was the living room, and stopped in front of another door located between the living room and kitchen. Rose walks to her. "Are your parents' home?" Rose asked.

"No." Kanaya simply said. Rose thought about this.

"Do you live with your parents?" she asked after a moment.

"No." Kanaya said again. She turned the handle on the door the same way again, and the door led to stairs leading downward. Kanaya walked down them. Rose followed.

"Who do you live with?" Rose asked.

"My Nana." Kanaya answers. Rose raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who's Nana?"

"My Nana." Kanaya says. Rose still wasn't sure who she was talking about, but she decided to just drop it.

They both entered a small room with a mattress with no sheets on it, a desk with a sewing machine on it, a small tv in the corner, and tons of amazing outfits hanging on the walls. Rose turned her head all around the room in awe at the beautiful designs. She never would have guessed that kanaya was so talented.

"Oh my word. Kanaya, these are amazing! " she exclaimed.

"Did you really make all of these?"

"Yes I did. All of them." Kanaya said with a bit of an excited jolt.

Rose sat down on the mattress and continued to gawk at the outfits. Kanaya rubbed at her hands again. Rose rested her eyes on the slim girl in front of her once more.

"Tell me about them." Rose said.

"Okay. This one I made from thick cotton and its main purpose is to blend in with the winter season while still keeping the wearer warm. This one I made from a smooth fabric and this one was created to give a relaxed demeanor during the summertime when days are very warm. This one was made from…" Rose listened to the girl ramble on about each masterpiece. She didn't notice at first, but Kanaya seems to actually be a very smart and well rounded individual. In her own way.

The more she watched Kanaya go from outfit to outfit, the more she realized that this girl was actually kind of attractive physically. The choppy black hair was something that Rose had a thing for, and her eyes where simply breathtaking. Rose softly smiled.

"Hey, Kanaya. You're very pretty." She quietly told her.

Kanaya stopped talking. "Okay." She said, and continued explaining the back story of each outfit. Rose chuckled.

Once Kanaya finished talking about the designs, she sat down next to Rose on the mattress. They both were quiet for awhile. Rose noticed Kanaya rubbing her hands and feet together. She, for some odd reason, began to feel sorry for the girl.

"Kanaya, to kids at school make fun of you?" Rose asked her.

"Yes." Kanaya answered. Rose puckered out her lip slightly.

"I'm sorry about that. If it helps you feel better, I think you're a very talented person with a lot of potential." Rose grins. Kanaya starts to rock back and forth again.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Please don't have another fit. I don't think I could handle seeing you like that again." Rose lightly tells her. She calmly takes Kanaya's head in her hands, and slowly leads her head back to her chest. This seemed to calm her down again.

"It's okay. I know I am not normal. I know that I make people uncomfortable. It's just hard, Rose. It's hard and, and nobody understands." Kanaya quietly explains in Rose's chest. Rose holds her closer. And as she hears the subtle breathing of her friend against her chest, she finally realizes why she was so attracted to this mentally disabled girl.

It's because she's different. It's because she's unique. She doesn't follow society's rules like everyone else. She is her own person, she does what feels right to _her_, not what everyone else wants her to be. That in itself causes Rose to envy her.

"I know it's hard, Kanaya. And although I may not be like you, I think you are normal in your own way. The way that feels right to you, and only you. That takes a lot of guts, kanaya. To be able to be who you are, despite everyone else putting you down because of it. I love you for that." Rose told her above a whisper.

While Rose was talking, Kanaya had slid her head up until the side of her face was resting against Rose's collarbone. Her choppy hair tickled the blonde's throat. Rose could feel her friend's heart beat faster at hearing Rose tell her that she loves her. She lightly grinned, and raised Kanaya's head gently until they are making the first ever real eye contact they've ever had.

"Do you understand me, Kanaya?" Rose asked her.

"Yes." Kanaya answered.

Rose felt her cheeks heat up slightly. "I wish to be in a romantic relationship with you. Is that okay?" Rose questions.

"Yes." Kanaya simply says.

Rose grins, and, knowing full well of Kanaya's low comfort ability with eye contact, allows her to return to the comfort of her chest once again.

* * *

**Okay, so I figured I could write a story about learning diabilities with using Rosemary. I myself am Autistic, and while I've recieved a lot of help over the years for it, it still makes me look weird sometimes. So in this I just wanted to show that there are some real struggles when it comes to learning disabilities, and that there are people out there that do recognize it and care about me anyway. Those people are my heroes. :)**


End file.
